The coldness of machines vs. the warmth of humans: social exclusion and compensatory consumption of handmade products

The previous literature provides evidence for the positive impact of handmade products on product evaluation. However, limited research has specifically investigated the preferences of different consumer groups for handmade products. To bridge this gap, this paper aims to investigate the impact of social exclusion on the consumption of handmade products in comparison to machine-made products. The findings of this research reveal that socially excluded consumers have a stronger preference for handmade products than socially included consumers. This effect is mediated by emotional attachment. Furthermore, self-construal (independent self vs. interdependent self) moderates the aforementioned effects. Specifically, interdependent self-construal enhances consumers’ emotional attachment and subsequently increases their willingness to purchase handmade products. This paper establishes a theoretical link between social exclusion and the compensatory consumption of handmade products and reveals the mechanisms of emotional attachment and the theoretical boundaries of self-construal. These findings provide valuable insights to enrich the literature on social exclusion and advance our understanding of consumers’ attitudes toward handmade products.